MHRA meets northern hotels as business scenario changes

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority, has held a series of meetings with hoteliers operating properties in the north of the island in a bid to identify initiatives to meet the challenges of their changing business environment.

Most hotels in the Bugibba-Qawra area are resorts which are more seasonally dependent than properties in other regions of the country. Over the past six years, they have been impacted by the decline of the tour operator business they were originally developed to attract.

MHRA president George Micallef told The Times Business that because of the way these hotels operated and because of their location, it was harder for them to win the custom of the online, independent travellers who were more inclined to seek centrally located properties “where there is more to do, and more to visit, and more night entertainment”.

“Some of the ideas discussed were the undertaking of a process that identifies the strengths of these locations, such as the rural and natural characteristics so that such locations can be branded accordingly and be specifically marketed to attract particular market segments, in addition to tour operator business,” Mr Micallef explained.

“Other ideas discussed included the provision of regular outdoor activities, and initiatives that can assist hotels to stay open all year round rather than closing for the winter months. There is a tendency for various business outlets in the immediate vicinity to shut when hotels close, which compounds the problem further.”

Claire Zammit Xuereb, director of hospitality at AX Hotels’ which owns the four-star Seashells Resort at Suncrest in Qawra, told The Times Business last month that strategies in the area needed a rethink as hotels there seemed to be getting second preference. Guests in northern hotels were not of the same market mix as those in other areas and profitability continues to suffer, she pointed out.

Mr Micallef agreed that annual occupancy levels registered by hotels in the north were generally lower than those in central and harbour areas, which ultimately affected their profitability.

Meanwhile, restaurants’ opening times seemingly came in for a little criticism last week. On Thursday, a Michael Higgins wrote to The Times to complain he found most restaurants in the Mellieħa area closed on a Monday when he tried to make a reservation for dinner.

In his letter, headed ‘Pity tourists up north’, he asked whether the MHRA felt this was the way to entertain tourists in the north.

Mr Micallef, however, said it was not the case that most Mellieħa restaurants were closed on Monday but appreciated the concern Mr Higgins, and anyone like him on holiday, raised.

“There is a tradition in Malta, as is the case in some other countries, that some restaurants close on Mondays or other days of the week. However, it is not the case that in Mellieha most restaurants are closed on Mondays,” Mr Micallef said.

“The MHRA appreciates that for a visitor, unlike the Maltese customer, Monday is no different than any other day and we do encourage the provision of services throughout the week. But we cannot be expected to demand that all restaurants open all the week, as this is purely a commercial decision which is normally dictated by market needs.”

He added that even though all restaurants should “ideally” remain open all week, the association was not aware that there was any area which particularly lacked the provision of restaurants on any day.